Ebln-controlled air-pump for bicycle-tires



Patentedlan. W, 1899. G. 3. MW.

iii 53%; PUFHP FUR BICYCLE TIRES.

mm EMETQQLL .Applicniicn filed Mar. 21, 1898.)

(N0 Modal.)

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

oImRLEs J. LAW, OF-MEROER, PENNSYLVANIA.

CbI N-CONTROLLED AIR-PUMP FOR BICYCLE-TIRES SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent 1\l' o. 617,811, dated January 1 7, 1899.

Application filed March 21,

To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. LAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mercer, in the county of Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Coin-Controlled Air-Pump for Bicycle-Tires, of which the following is a specification.

Theinvention relates to improvements in coin-controlled air-pumps for bicyc1e-tires.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction of a coin-controlled" I apparatus for inflating bicycle-tires and to ihihtliepiuper amount ofairto be released."

. ance'with this invention.

' the provide a'simple and comparatively inexpensive device adapted, after properly connecting a bicycle-tire to a supply pipe or tube, to be automatically operated by a coin to perfor inflating the tire;

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device-for shutting off the supply of air after a quantity has been released by the action of a coin and to enable such device to be readily adjusted so that the proper time will lapse between the opening of the Valve and the shutting on? of supply of air in order that a tire may be properly inflated.

The'invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

claims hereto appended.

Figure 1 is a side elevain section, of a coin-controlled tire-inflating device constructed in accord- Fig. 2 is an on- In the drawings,

larged sectional view of the coinf operated valve mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

. spondin g Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional View of the upper portion of the piston and the adj usting-screw for regulating the admission of air above the same.

Like numerals of reference designate correparts in all the figures of the drawlngs. n

air-pump which may be either of the hand or hydraulic form, and it is connected with a tank or reservoir 2 by-a pipe 3, which is designed to be provided at a point between the tank and the pump witha.

a coin-receptacle 0 chamber 13, is secured a leather 1898- Serial No. 674,670. (No model) the air within the tank or reservoir.

The tank or receptacle 2 is connected by a feed-pipe 4 with a cylinder 5, arranged Within and having upper and suitable gage for indicating the pressure of lower heads 7 and 8, the lower head being connected to the feed-pipe 4. provided at its lower end with a chamber 9, with which communicates a short tube 10, adapted to receive a supply-pipe 11, and the latter, which extends through the bottom wall of the receptacle 6, is constructed 0t rubber or othensuitable material and is provided at The cylinder is its outer end with a suitable coupling adapted to engage the valve of a bicycle-wheel, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. l of the accompanying-drawings.

Within the cylinder 5 is arranged a piston 12, .which is loosely fitted into. the cylinder, and upon its head, within an upper cylindercup or packing-ringld, which is held in place by a nut 15.

The central portion of the opening or space within the cylinder is reduced between the chambers 9 and 13, the piston fitting the reduced central portion. The upper end of the piston is enlarged and is of the same diameter as the.chamber 13, and the lower end of the piston is provided with a valve 16 for shutting off the supply of air by closing the"8o communication between the feed-piped and the supply-pipe 10. The supply-pipe 10 is disposed horizonta lly, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the acccompanying drawings, and communicates with an extension. 0 of the chamber 9. The feed-pipe screws into a threaded openingof the lower head 8 of the rcylindeif ahd'th'dv'alve 16, which is tapering or conical, fits on a corresponding seat'and is .upper end will be greater than that. on the lower end and will operate to hold the piston on its seat and close the valve.

After the piston is operated by a coin, as

the piston, and as the Q hereinafter described, by being relieved of per chamber 13 of the cylinder, and when the pressure upon the upper end of the piston becomes greater than that on the lower end the valve will again close.

The admission of air to the chamber above the piston is controlled by an adjusting-screw l9, and the upper end of the passage 18 is slightly flared or conical, as clearly shown in Fig. -l of the accompanying drawings. The screw is provided'with tapering longitudinal slots 20, extending a suitable distance u the sides of the screw and adapted to reg late by adj usting the screw the size of the air-passage and the admission of air above the piston.

A small cylinder or casing 521, which is closed at its upper end by a cap 22, is mounted upon the upper head '7 of the cylinder, and the walls of this small cylindrical casing are provided with small ports 23 for the escape of air. An opening or passage-way 24: at the lower end of the cylindrical casing communicates with the upper chamber 13 of the cylinder 5, and at the upper end of this passage 2i is formed a seat for a valve 25, which is retained in' its closed position by a small spiral spring 26, located above the valve and exerting only a slight pressure on the same.

The valve 25 is raised from its seat to permit the 'airabove the piston to escape by means of a lever 27, having one end attached to thcvalve and fulcrumed near the same on a post 28. The post 28 is mounted upon the upper head of the cylinder 5, and the outer end of the lever 27 is enlarged and, arranged beneath a coin-chute 29 of the receptacle 6, so that when a coin is dropped into the chute it will strike the lever 27 (and operate the same sulliciently to relieve the upper end of the piston of pressure, so thatthe pressure in the tank or reservoir, operating on the lower end of the piston, will open the valve and release a quantity of air. The spring26, which holds the valve closed, also operates to return the lever 27 to its normal position.

Any pressure that may be generated on the under side of the upper end or head of the piston in the upper chamber 13 by leakage between the walls of the cylinder and the piston will be relieved by means of small holes 30, forming inclined passages extending from the bottom of the upper chamber'13 through the walls of the cylinder and communicating .with the atmosphere.

The air-pressure found by experience to be.

most suitable for tire-inflating is about forty pounds, and the time in which the valveis open when the qoin'falls upon the-lever and when it drops from the same to allow the lever to resume its normal position is suliicient to fill a tire.

The invention has the following advantages:

The coir-controlled pump fo inllating tires is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction and is adapted when a-coin is deposited in it to release automatically a quantity of air sufficient to inflate the tire of a bicycle-wheel, and the supply of air, is shut off after a sufiicient quantity has been released.

The piston which carries the valve is automatie in its operation, and the screw may-be adjusted so that the time occupied by the piston in closing may be readily regulated.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In a device of the class described, the.

ranged to be operated by a coin to open the said valve, and a spring arranged within'the casing and engaging the valve and holding the same on itsseat, substantially .tS and for the purpose described.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a hollow piston having one end enlarged and provided at its other endwith a valve for controlling the suppl y of air to the discharge-pipe, and coin-controlled mechanism for relieving the enlargedend of the piston of pressure, substantially as and for the purpose described. v

3.- In a device of the class described, the combination with a receptacle or casing, a cylinder arranged within thesame, feed and supply pipes communicating with the cylin der, a piston arranged within the cylinder and carrying-a valve at one end for normally shutting ofi communication between the feed and supply pipes, the other end of the piston being of greater area than the valve end,

whereby the pressure on the piston will hold it normally closed, and coin-controlled mechanism for relieving the enlarged end of the;

piston of pressure, whereby the valve will be caused to open, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, feed-- and supply pipes communicating with the same, a hollow 'piston having one end enlarged and provided at its other end with a valve normally shutting oflf communication between the supply and feed pipes, coin-controlled mechanism for relieving the largerendof the pi on of pressure, and an-adjusting device for regulating the admission of air to the larger end of the ,piston, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a cylinder, feed and supply pipes eommu nicatin g with the cylinder, a 1101 I low piston having one end flJ'QQP-flmll the other and carrying a valve adapted to shut off communication between the pipes, an adjusting-screw mounted in the passage of the hollow piston and provided with a tapering opening, and coin-controlled mechanism for relieving the larger end of the piston of pres sure, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a cylinder provided a its ends with chambers 9 and 13, supply and feed pipes communicating with thechalnbcr Q, a hollow piston having one end enlarged and arranged in the chamber 13, a valve carried by the other end of the piston and adapted to shut off communication between the pipes, a coin-' operated lever, and a valve connected with and operated by-the lever and arranged to relieve the enlarged end of the piston of pressure, substantiallyas' described.

7. In a deviceof theclass described, the

combination of a'cylindeir', supply and feed pipes communicating with the same, a piston arranged Within the cylinder and carrying a valve arranged to shut 0% communication between the pipes, a casing mounted upon the cylinder, communicating therewith and having an escape-port, a valve arranged within the casing, a coin-operated lever connected with the valve of the casing, and means for holding the'valveof the casing closed, substantially as described.

- 8. In adevice of the class described, the

combination of a cylinder having a chamber at one end and provided with air-passages extending from the same to the exterior of the cylinder, a hollow piston arranged within the 7 cylinder and having an enlarged end located in the chamber above the air-passages,a valve carried.-=by the piston, and coin controlled mechanism for relieving the pressure in the operated lever carrying a valve for controlling the pressure above the hollow piston, substantially as described. In testimony that I claim'the foregoing as my ownI have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I, CHARLES J. LAW.

Witnesses:

R. G. MADGE,

P; E. SHIPLER. 

